They both had known who she was going to pick, but it still hurt Willow to end things with Kennedy like that. She had done it so badly. To let Kennedy walk out like that. Without fully explaining. Without telling Kennedy just how sorry she was. How grateful for everything the slayer had done for her. How she was sorry she couldn't love Kennedy the way she deserved to be loved. She probably wouldn't get another chance. Kennedy wasn't one to stick around after goodbyes like that. She probably wouldn't even stop to say goodbye to the rest of the Scoobies. Probably just do some slaying to let off some steam, and then bail. Willow knew she would probably never get to apologize right.

Willow went back to sit next to Tara once again, as she had barely moved through the entire exchange. "She-she's your g-girlfriend, isn't she?" Tara looked down at where Willow's hand was once again resting on her knee, finally regaining animation.

"Tara, I'm so sorry. If I thought it was at all still possible… for this… for you… I would never have allowed myself… But you had already been gone a year, and I had given up hope." Willow looked at her feet, embarrassed to admit this. "She was there, and I thought that maybe I could let myself… I told myself you wouldn't want me to be alone… you would want me to be happy…"

"Of course!"

"So I let myself. Or tried anyways… I've been happy enough. And I do love her… But its not the same as what we had. I was never truly in love with her. Not like I was with you. Am?" Both girls looked up and met each other's eyes, swimming in pools of green and blue.

"Willow, I never stopped. I think that's how I got back… It tore at me, to hear you speaking to me that way today at the graveyard. Or maybe it was a conversation you had years ago, I don't know. But hearing how sad you were, I mean, I missed you already, but when I sensed the pain. I couldn't-couldn't bear seeing you in that much pain, let alone to be the cause of it. And now I'm back… With you…. And it seemed as if everything was finally ok, but then you were telling me that three years have passed, not just a month. And that Sunnydale is gone, that you lost it and gave in to dark magick, killed someone, nearly ended the world. Its all too much…"

"I'll save the rest of the story for tomorrow then. Let the first chunk sink in."

"g-good idea"

They sat together quietly, kissing every part of the other with their eyes alone, the only physical contact was Willow's hand on Tara's knee, and Tara's hand on top of that. And yet it was one of the most intimate moments they ever shared.

But they were interrupted once again by the phone ringing. Both women jumped when the phone rang, and Willow got up to answer.

"Buffy? What's going on?"

"Why don't you tell me? Faith found Kennedy just before a vamp got her. She usually lives for a fight, but this one had her beat, and he's brand new, fresh from the grave, and he had her beat!"

"Oh my god, Buffy. - B-but she's ok?"

"Yeah, Faith got there just in time, but she seems really upset… What. Happened.? I mean, she was fine when she left the meeting earlier"

"I'll be right there, Buffy…"

"Don't bother, we're walking her back to your place… Its closer than mine anyways."

"Oh" long pause.

"Will, what is going on?" Buffy asked, sensing something more was wrong for her friend than Kennedy being hurt.

"I'll see you when you get here" Willow said, ignoring the question, and with that she hung up the phone.

Willow started to pace, arms crossed, then she was gesturing at random along to some inner conversation, then crossed again, then gesturing again. She was worried about her friends' reaction to Tara's return. She didn't know why she was so nervous... Tara had been a Scooby for almost 3 years when she died, and had been completely one of the gang, but still she was nervous.

"Willow, what's going on? - Are you going out again? To meet up with the gang?"

"No." Willow didn't stop pacing. Tara stood and grabbed her former lover by the arm, spinning her around as she tried to continue pacing.

"Willow, you can tell me." She looked straight into Willows eyes, holding her with her gaze alone. "What's going on?"

"They're coming here. Kennedy... She... She-" she stopped talking as they heard the door opening, and Tara dropped Willow's arm, stepping towards the side of the room, her shyness returning at the thought of seeing her old friends again. The 3 slayers entered the room awkwardly. Willow couldn't figure out why it seemed so awkward until they took a few more steps. Kennedy had one arm around Buffy, the other around Faith and they seemed to be more dragging her across the room than helping her walk. She was barely conscious, and they were taking her to the couch.

"What happened? You didn't tell me she was hurt! How did this happen?!"

"Vamp. Like B told you. We got there just in time. If he'd drunk anymore..."

"What? But she never... I mean, she's never let one even get close before! I mean, how? She's never had any trouble dusting a vamp or two, or even four at a time!" Willow stopped ranting and breathed. "Is - is she going to be ok? She... She-"

"She'll be fine. With her slayer powers, she'll be just fine in a couple of days. She just lost a lot of blood" Buffy's voice faded off as she spotted Tara, standing awkwardly behind the couch. She stood, her mouth open, staring at Tara, and then began to look back and forth between Tara and Willow, now staring at her feet as Buffy added Kennedy to the list she was gawking at, going back and forth.

"What's going on?" Faith asked, and followed Buffy's gaze to see the fifth woman in the room, which didn't answer any of her questions, as they had only met for a very short moment more than six years ago, when Faith hadn't been herself. (Literally. She was in Buffy's body at the time.)

"H-h-hey B-Buffy" Tara stuttered, smiling at her friend.

"Tara?" Buffy let the name slip through her lips, disbelief still strong on her face and in her voice. But by saying it she allowed herself to begin to accept. And with that the two blonds moved to hug each other.

"How long has she… how is she… and what about…" Buffy tried to ask so many questions at once that she didn't ask any, but they all knew the end to each of the questions.

"When I skipped the meeting today… I don't know why, I just suddenly found myself running here. I mean, I was walking no where in particular after leaving the cemetery, in no mood for any company, and then suddenly I was running here and I didn't know why… and then I saw her…"

"But how…"

"I don't know. I don't know how I got back… I remember listening to Willow today, or maybe it was years ago, hearing the pain in her voice, it br-broke m-my heart… then, suddenly, I was here…." She turned to Willow, "I know that its going to be hard to accept what's happened, but you're here. I can deal with anything as long as you're here with me. Just be patient, I'll get there." With the last word, they realized the distance that was between them, and it was almost as if they could see the last three years.

"We'll get there" and she reached across the space between them to grab Tara's hand, and with that touch and a look into each other's eyes, they knew they could reach each other again, and everything would be all right.

Buffy and Faith immediately felt intrusive on the moment, and turned to taking care of Kennedy, who was beginning to regain consciousness where they had left her on the couch. But the tiniest noises they made called Willow's attention back to the couch, where her girlfriend lay bleeding. It saddened her to let go of Tara's hand, to look away from those big blue eyes she had longed to see for so long, to go kneel by the couch, tending to Kennedy, but this was her chance to say it right, a chance she didn't think she would have.

"I should go get the first aid kit. That piece of your shirt isn't going to last much longer as a bandage"

Willow walked to the bedroom to get the first aid kit she had learned to keep handy with a slayer living in the house. When she turned around to go back, Buffy was standing there.

"You ok, Will?" she asked, a concerned look on her face. "I mean, seeing Tara again… I can't imagine what it must mean for you"

"No. You can't. I've waited for this for so long. I've prayed for it every night. But Kennedy… I mean, I do love her. Not the same way I love Tara. Tara's always been the love of my life… The one I'm in love with. But Kennedy has been so patient… She's always known that Tara came first in my heart, and she was always ok with that… She deserves more, than to just be cast away as soon as…"

"The love of your life comes back from the dead to give you a second chance at the life you were always supposed to have together? Willow, I'm not saying Kennedy is going to be happy, but she will understand… And the more you drag it out, the harder your making it on yourself. And on Tara. She's conscious Willow. Just tell her. Tell her the truth. She will understand. Faith and I will take her back to my place. I'll take care of her."

"How did this happen? She's always been a fighter! She's always been so strong, so brave, never let anything touch her. Why?"

"Willow, why do you think it happened?" Willow hung her head. She knew exactly why. Kennedy was hurt because of her. Because of what Willow did to her. "She saw you with Tara, didn't she?" Willow nodded.

"I ran out after her. I told her it was Tara. I tried to explain, but I did it so badly. She just stormed off. I didn't think I was going to have the chance to do it right. She stormed off before I could even figure out how to begin."

"She was upset. She loves you, Willow. But she does understand. She wants you to be happy. You have another chance. Tell her now the way you wish you had before. You have another chance."

Before Willow had a chance to say anything, Faith knocked once and then opened the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but Will, I think we really need those bandages…"

All three went back to the living room, and Willow kneeled next to the couch to tend to Kennedy's wounds.

"Tara, why don't we go for a walk? I mean, there's so much to catch up on…" Buffy put her arm around Tara's shoulder and started leading her towards the door.

"Buffy, I didn't get very far in catching her up. Don't tell her too much, she's already a little overloaded with info…"

"Ok, Will. You coming, Faith?" She called over her shoulder. They all knew the real reason for the walk. Giving Willow and Kennedy space to say their goodbyes.

"We'll be back soon." Buffy said, as they walked out the door.